I know this is stating the obvious and lots on here don’t like India.
But there a brilliant cricket side and in their own conditions will take some beating mind.
Looks like playing too much T20 and not enough domestic 50 over cricket not affecting them.
Cruised through every match.
Here is hoping they bottle it like they have before when we meet them in the final
Yeah, I hope so too.
I wax lyrical about their team all the time. In all honesty, they could fill 2 teams to compete at this world cup such is their depth. I mean Ravi Ashwin doesn't even get a look in and he'd get into every other team bar none. I mean their batters, where do you start? Kohli isn't even their best batsman at the moment. I mean, he's only of the g.o.a.t's, and he's outshone by a plethora of stars. Today it was Sharma, next match it could be Gill, or Kohli or Yadav, well...... you get the point. I'm not going to even talk about their bowling and how much it has improved since the last WC. Bumrah might look like a member of SCOPE when he bowls but he is fast, accurate and clever. 3 deadly attributes for a seamer.
Which puzzles me as to why the BICCI bother to doctor the pitch in the spinners favour. Any team that plays India in this tournament will have to play spin well, not only have India packed the side with spinners, but the conditions mean they will have that extra turn to contend with. Only England and New Zealand have the skills imo, some of the sub continent teams may have but not the batting to with, South Afrika are wildcards.
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Matthew Henry with a decent write up of today. Here's an excerpt.
Visas have been difficult for travelling fans, journalists and
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alike, meaning two Pakistan fans in the ground were surrounded by selfie-grabbers before play - such sightings rarer in Gujarat than an Asiatic lion.
Money-spinning and ear-splitting maybe, but a World Cup atmosphere this was not. That pair were outnumbered 65,000 to one.
"Look, it didn't seem like an ICC event tonight, let's be brutally honest," Pakistan coach Mickey Arthur said afterwards.
"It seemed like a BCCI [Board of Control for Cricket in India] event. I didn't hear 'Dil Dil Pakistan' too often tonight.
"Yes that does play a role, but I'm not going to use that as an excuse."
So did Arthur think such a situation is right for a World Cup?
"I can't comment on that just yet," he said. "I don't want to get fined."
In saying nothing, Arthur said plenty.
Sour grapes or valid points? It did feel like an India home match today not an ICC world cup group game. There's no way that a crowd can be allowed to be that partisan when it means there's no fans from the opposition allowed. I doubt you would have found any neutrals in the ground today either.
Sadly yet more Sky muted crowd noise. The anti Pakistan songs obviuosly muted for reasons i doubt you understand.
Half full ground yes Shame 130,000 and only 65,000 in.
India is crickets national sport.
I expect polite applause for Newcastle goals and good play against us in our next game in your world.
Cricket is a gentleman's game. I applaud the opposition all the time, whether it be from the stands or in the middle when I used to play. Not sure of your point on this one. Whilst I agree the 'mags' and Indian cricket fans share lots of similar traits, comparing etiquette of football and cricket fans is like comparing apples and oranges.
Tell us more mate, genuinely, what was being sung and why was it being muted?
